Pink Roses From Carin

Pink Roses From Carin I - VI and Biscuit Smelling Roses (not sure my snapshot qualifies as art, but it is on topic)
oil on panel, 20" x 20" for the first and the rest are 16" x 20" or 20" x 16"

These almost didn't get painted. There are so many pictures of roses that it is hard to escape cliches. In addition, as soon as a painter picks up a brush, she has all of art history on her back. The problem of roses on top of that made it seem something I should side step. They came from my friend, Carin, in celebration of the first jazz aerobics class I taught (artists end up doing all kinds of things, although I don't think Cezanne did aerobics). I probably looked at them more than she thought I might, squeezing six paintings out of the bunch. My beagle, Biscuit, also took time to smell them. I got a little obsessed. Don't get all spoiled now, seeing six paintings up at once. I usually post one at a time so they can be looked at a little longer, but I think these are interesting to compare as a sequence.

From image to image the roses become less fragmented in their color, the pink is seen more as a whole, singular color experience (number V has some variation). The last two are done from memory; the roses wilted and gone, but still occupying my mind's eye. They range from sticky, cotton candy pink to gauzy.

The first painting is the only one showing the flowers from the side. It is the least romantic with some of Philip Guston's bluntness. The second is very intense, almost claustrophobic, pressing. The third is like O'Keefe in its composition and sensuality (she says she was just painting flowers, but everyone knows that was just her conscious intention), and the flowers are more a whole entity. The fourth is the only to include the vase. There is the basic problem of pink roses, green stems, vase, and the air around them all (background color, which is always more than a static background). Manet painted all the bouquets he received from friends while on his death bed. I saw a show of them and read the wonderful book by Andrew Forge. They are something, as he was so involved with life as he painted them, knowing he was going to have to let it all go. The fifth painting reminds me a bit of Soutine (he did several paintings of the same subject such as gladioli)with how the edges are handled, as well as the intensity and winding way the eye travels through it. The last painting is rather fresh. I have painted writing in pictures before, and this text comes from the song by Seal, Amazing. Friendships are wonderful for the companionship in celebrating each other's accomplishments as well as supporting each other through difficult times and gray areas when we don't always feel amazing.

Although I can reference other artists when I look at my work, I didn't set out to paint in anyone's style. Like jazz musicians playing off of each other, creating and creating, I kept wanting to do it again, but differently. I think I am in each one and whatever a "Maynard" is, maybe the word "intense" and "eclectic" could be attached.